These are the devotionals the team reflected on each morning before camp in 2010. As we adjust back to life in the states, pray that we would continue to see Christ as the only Good Shepherd in our day to day lives. We hope that these are an encouragement to you and your family.
Day 1 – The Only Door
Read John 10:1-8
We are here to point people who are just like us to Jesus Christ for salvation. We were blind, now we see. We cannot pretend to see by our own wisdom or enlightenment. It is only because Christ lives through us that we point past ourselves to Jesus.
In the previous chapter, Jesus had confronted the Pharisees on spiritual blindness. The Pharisees had understanding. They talked the talk and walked the walk. In many ways, every one of us still struggles with claiming that “we see.” We are not better than the Pharisees, and we are not here to train more Pharisees. We are here to show campers to the door – the only door Jesus Christ.
If we seek to make these children love us by being great role models and fun people, but do not do so while abiding in Christ – we are not showing them to the door. If we teach them to be good people and fail to show them that all have sinned and fall short – we are not showing them to the door. We are being liars and strangers. Many already snatch away sheep and teach them, mold them, and hold them in the ways of the world – climbing in another way and acting like their shepherd.
We have the extreme privilege of being part of Christ’s shepherding work. To do that, we must repent of our Pharisaical tendencies. We must repent of ourselves and point to Jesus alone. At times, we must lay down our schedules, our ideas, our opinions, our comfort, our security, our recognition, our leadership positions, our cultures and many other things so that these children do not see us, but see the Only Way, Truth and Life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ.
Praise be to God that we can be a part of His work!!! He is way in, He is the door, He is the Good Shepherd. I pray that we would be like Him, point towards Him, and live for Him this week at camp.
Day 2 – Enter through the door and be saved, go in, go out, and find Pasture
– by Charles Spurgeon
"I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." {John 10:9}
Jesus, the great I AM, is the entrance into the true church, and the way of access to God himself. He gives to the man who comes to God by him four choice privileges.
1. He shall be saved. The fugitive manslayer passed the gate of the city of refuge, and was safe. Noah entered the door of the ark, and was secure. None can be lost who take Jesus as the door of faith to their souls. Entrance through Jesus into peace is the guarantee of entrance by the same door into heaven. Jesus is the only door, an open door, a wide door, a safe door; and blessed is he who rests all his hope of admission to glory upon the crucified Redeemer.
2. He shall go in. He shall be privileged to go in among the divine family, sharing the children’s bread, and participating in all their honours and enjoyments. He shall go in to the chambers of communion, to the banquets of love, to the treasures of the covenant, to the storehouses of the promises. He shall go in unto the King of kings in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the secret of the Lord shall be with him.
3. He shall go out. This blessing is much forgotten. We go out into the world to labour and suffer, but what a mercy to go in the name and power of Jesus! We are called to bear witness to the truth, to cheer the disconsolate, to warn the careless, to win souls, and to glorify God; and as the angel said to Gideon, "Go in this thy might", even thus the Lord would have us proceed as his messengers in his name and strength.
4. He shall find pasture. He who knows Jesus shall never want. Going in and out shall be alike helpful to him: in fellowship with God he shall grow, and in watering others he shall be watered. Having made Jesus his all, he shall find all in Jesus. His soul shall be as a watered garden, and as a well of water whose waters fail not.
Day 3 – Abundant Life in Christ’s Fold
Read John 10:10-12
The language used here to describe the thief is the same that is used to describe Satan in other parts of scripture. His lies are subtle, often unnoticeable. The sins we commit become socially tolerable even within the church. We don’t see the evil that is out there in the world or the sin that is within our own hearts. The good intentioned religious person can easily teach lies and destroy true worship and faith in God – all in the name of good deeds and loving others. It looks like the teachings of Jesus – but Jesus is nowhere to be found.
The good shepherd comes to bring life. Abundant life. Content life. Abundant does not mean health, wealth, and happiness. Nor does it mean that you will be without struggles with sin and tragedy and pain. We can have abundant life because He laid His life down for His sheep. He is no stranger to pain and sorrow. But He knew no sin. He took the wrath of God for things He did not and could not do. He served and washed feet as the King of the Universe. He gave up riches for poverty. Holiness for our mess. He took on that life of disgust so that we can live as children, heirs, and beloved sheep. Sheep aren’t that lovely either. They are smelly and slightly stupid. Yet He loved us in the midst of that.
Our God is incarnational and loving to the point of dwelling among us. He could have made us reach up to God and show some effort before He saved us. He didn’t. He came when we were enemies, when we were dead and loved us to the point of death, even death on a cross.
We are not Jesus this week. We are not the Good Shepherd. We are still sheep. Rejoice first that your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life. Gratitude that you are saved will result in your taking on attributes of the shepherd. It’s strange, but we are sheep called to be shepherds this week. We look no different than those we serve because we are not different from those we serve. We need a shepherd just as badly as these kids do. Today ask God through the Holy Spirit to transform your attitudes and desires to be those that lay down your life for each other and the people we are here to serve. The only response to having a good shepherd is complete and utter humility in the light of God’s grace.
Day 4 – Not a Hired Hand
Read John 10:12-15
What will you do when you are called to minister and things get difficult - when you are insulted, unappreciated, and betrayed? How will you respond when the people mistreat you, when your team member destroys what you were trying to do, when your freedom is not acknowledged and you are not shown the respect that you feel like you deserve?
All of us have been there. And all of us have a natural tendency to run. We all have a natural self preservation instinct - “I am in danger – I’m getting out of this situation.” Sometimes what is in danger is our pride, our dignity, our respect, our reputation, or our physical safety. This, in our minds, justifies our flight.
Let me tell you this straight – we are in sin when we do this. Self protection and preservation are not attributes of a follower of Christ. We are called to be last, not first. Serve not be served. We are called to lay down our lives as Christ laid His own down for the church. Jesus sacrificed what we so often hold on to dearly for the sake of our salvation.
We are not hired hands – we are children of God and called to be like Him in our limited, imperfect way. Like I said yesterday, we are not Jesus. But we are made new. We are not our own, we were bought with a price and the Holy Spirit is now guiding our steps and enabling our living like Jesus. We are without excuse. We are set free from living for ourselves. In the light of the Gospel, we can live thinking of others first. We love others because Christ first loved us.
The Father knows and loves His sheep. Those He has called and adopted now care for them on earth. We are called to see them and treat them in the same way that Christ sees them and treats them – as beloved. We are called to lay down our lives for these campers. To do this, we must die to ourselves and live to Christ.
This community fostered through laying down our lives for the sake of the Gospel – called the Church – imitates the intimate community of the Trinity. It is a blessing to have that kind of life with one another and for one another. So remember, you are not just a hired hand who will run or fight for yourself when the going gets tough. You are called to lay down your life for His sheep as He has laid down His life for you.
Day 5 – One Flock, One Shepherd
Read John 10:16-18
No one can pretend to know and understand completely the parables of Jesus. He told them so that those who have ears to hear may listen. I pray that this week the Holy Spirit has spoken through God’s word and led us to repentance and faith that manifests itself in a Christ-like life.
He told us that He has sheep that are not of this fold. In the context of the previous chapter and His audience, it makes sense that “this fold” is referring to the Jewish people. Jesus made it clear towards the end of His ministry that redemption was to be extended to Gentiles – every tribe, tongue, and nation. He accomplished this ministry greatly through His apostle Paul. The specific work has been carried out by His followers ever since. We often think of overseas, cross cultural missions when we think of bringing in sheep outside of the fold, and that is very true. But what is the ultimate goal? I believe it can be lost easily by His sheep.
The goal is one flock, and one shepherd. Jesus Christ’s purpose, given by the Father, was to lay down His life that His people would be redeemed. His people can be found in all nations. But there is no outward sign that shows us who are His. We can simply share the Gospel in word and deed. The Holy Spirit is actively working in God’s people, drawing them to repentance and faith. We have been a part of that!
But it does not end here in Peru. You have the immense opportunity to be the active extensions of Christ’s work in the world – but that starts wherever you are. You are salt and light, not just when you go on mission trips or work soup kitchens or teach Sunday school – but as you live your life.
Know that the hardest people to love are not the kids here in Peru. They are easy to love. The hardest people to love are the people you see every day. They are the people who you can’t stand, the people who value things that you despise. They are often your spouses, your co-workers, and your closest friends. Leave here and love your roommate. Forgive your parents. Stop resenting your brothers and sisters. Don’t look down on people whose culture or interests you find ridiculous.
Leave Peru and continue to share Christ through word and deed. Be kind to strangers. Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. God is accomplishing His work of reconciliation through you!
Thank you for serving this week. You may never see the fruit of your labors, but you may have planted seeds that will change lives forever. You may see people in heaven because of what God did this week. We may one day worship with these campers before the Throne of Grace in heaven in the same language – as one flock with One Shepherd.
